For the 26th time, Meridian was host to one of the largest barbecue competitions around, the National Championship Barbecue Cookoff on Oct. 25-26. Many competitors mentioned how they felt it was a great honor to be allowed to cook at the invitation-only event. “If you cook here, you’re one of the ‘best of the best,’” Bert Blaha from LaGrange said during the awards ceremony. “The ‘finest of the finest,’ that is what we call this cook off. It is one of the best organized. And thanks to the pit bosses. Y’all take care of us, absolutely.”